A True Witch Book 1 Blog

WANTED – ARC READERS

A True Witch Book 1 is a modern Australian witch fantasy story and is now ready for Advanced Reviewer Copy (ARC) readers.

Now residing in Melbourne, Australia, the Grimm family have hunted and killed witches in Europe for centuries and selectively bred to maintain their magical abilities and deep hatred of witches. For nearly fifty years they sought to destroy the witches, Agatha and May, resulting in deaths and assaults of family members on both sides. Now Agatha has died and bestowed her magical abilities on her estranged granddaughter who has not been raised a witch.

Niamh blossoms from surly teenager into a strong witch in a short time and must use her newly discovered magic skills to protect herself, friends and family against the Grimm family.

One big family secret could potentially change everything …

If you would like to know more about becoming an ARC reader, you’ll find information in my FAQs.

To apply, fill out the form – https://forms.gle/KP5g8kiuvjoqWCLUA

 

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ARC Readers FAQs

What is an ARC?
Advanced Reviewer Copy. This is a digital copy of a book that usually has not been released yet. The book in digital format is provided to readers who have signed up to receive it, in return for an honest review on Amazon, Goodreads, TikTok, Instagram, Threads, BlueSky or whichever platform the reader uses.

How do I become an ARC reader?
A link to a sign-up page will be advertised on my website and social media pages when applications are open. In the meantime, if you don’t want to miss out, please subscribe by clicking the button on the bottom right of screen and then you will always be notified.

How does it work?
A digital copy of the book will be send to your Kindle app so you need to supply your Kindle email address.

What if I don’t have Kindle?
You don’t have to own a Kindle device to install the Kindle app. Kindle is a popular app for reading books on phones and tablets, but there is also a Kindle app for laptops and computers. It is available as a free download on the Amazon website. Go to the Amazon website and click on Kindle Books. Just under the header, one of the menu options is Free Kindle Reading Apps. On the next screen you can click one of the buttons to Read Books with Kindle for Web or Download for PC & Mac, Get it on Google Play or Download from the Apple Store.

How do I find my Kindle email address?
To find your Kindle email address, go to the Amazon website, click on Your Account and choose Manage your Content & Devices, then select Devices and then Kindle. Your Kindle email address is listed.

How do I add your email to the Approved Personal Document E-mail List?
For me to send a digital copy of the book to your Kindle email address, you must approve my email address, otherwise, anyone could send documents and books to you. To find this, go to the Amazon website and choose Manage your Content & Devices, then select Preferences and Personal Document Settings. Add my email address – ljfoxau@gmail.com. I cannot send you the book if you do not approve my email address.

Do I have to write a review after reading the book?
In the application sign-up form, you agree to writing an honest review for the book on Amazon, Goodreads, Tiktok, Kobo, Instagram, Facebook, Threads or another platform that you choose, or all of them. 🙂 This is an ethical agreement for providing the book free of charge. If you choose not to write a review, that is your choice but it will prevent you from being selected for any further ARC possibilities in the future.

What if I don’t like the book?
I hope that does not happen but everyone is different. If your review is honest and explains why, that is helpful for the future. I am happy for you to contact me via email if you wish to discuss aspects of the book.

What if I find errors or typos in the book?
The book is an ARC copy and is still draft format. Hopefully, there are no major errors or typos at all but it is possible. If you do find a mistake, please email me at ljfoxau@gmail.com and let me know.

How often will you be emailing me?
I will email you to thank you for your application and let you know when the book is sent to your Kindle app. Before release day, I will email you links for you to write a review.

When you filled out the ARC application, one of the questions was did you wish to be on a mailing list for future ARCs and another question was if you would be interested in reviewing books that are already released in return for an honest review. If you said Yes to either of these questions then I will contact you at a later date.

Do you pay money for a good review?
Nope.

 

 

Fallen Face

Fallen Face

Fallen Face

Fallen Face – fiction * apocalyptic * post-apocalyptic

Inexplicably, millions of people world-wide stop what they are doing and walk eastward, with the majority walking into the ocean and drowning. Those unable to withstand a long walk, die enroute. Survivors gather in groups, struggling to understand what has happened and attempting to forge a way forward through the devastation, grief and uncertainty.

Fallen Face is an apocalyptic story of survivors in New South Wales, Australia, who encounter religious beliefs, conspiracy theories and rumours of government experiments as well as individuals wishing to use the apocalypse to push their own leadership agenda.

AVAILABLE VIA AMAZON

First 9 chapters are available as a free sample. View on Amazon. Also available on kindleunlimited.

VIEW NOW

 

Fallen Face – the idea

I have always loved disaster and apocalyptic movies and series, and there have been so many.

World War Z, The Walking Dead, The Last of Us, Planet of the Apes, The Omega Man, A Quiet Place, Bird Box, Armageddon, Deep Impact, V.

As a writer, I felt that it was absolutely necessary to write my own apocalyptic story and yet, how to kill off the population took years to consider. Do I create a virus that wipes out a great majority of the population, or a meteor that crashes into earth, or a spaceship full of aliens take over the world, or ants take over, or the earth heats up from climate change? The possibilities are endless, and yet, the writer would need an excellent knowledge of the science of climate change to successfully write a story on climate change. Ditto with a virus, the writer would need medical or scientific knowledge relating to viruses, unless you are Stephen King, and you can write convincingly on any topic.

Following podcasts and news on the freedom movement across the world and the conspiracy theories that cookers are passionate about, gave me the idea for Fallen Face. The conspiracy theories that the cookers subscribe to are so vast, so numerous and so outlandish that if the world suddenly ended, how would anyone know which theory had been correct? That is partly what drives this tale – no one really knows what happened. Was it divine intervention, a virus, 5G, chemtrails, microchip implants, vaccines, a global reset from the cabal or a government experiment?

Could something like this really happen?

 

The Passive Observer

The Passive Observer

After a serious head knock leaves her unconscious for two days, Amanda wakes to discover she can view the final minutes of a violent murder if standing at the site of the murder. With the intention of solving cold case crimes, bringing killers to justice and provide closure for the family of victims, Amanda and her friend, Libby, attend murder sites and report their findings to police.

In working with the police, they realise that there is a serial killer with a shoe fetish that has been operating in the area for a long time, and after a journalist publishes an article on Amanda and her ability, the shoe fetish killer decides to eliminate Amanda to hide his identity.

This story centres around Amanda Kingley, an average, middle-aged woman who suddenly finds she has developed an amazing ability and discovers the price she must pay to use her ability for the good of others.

The Passive Observer

AVAILABLE VIA AMAZON

First 6 chapters are available as a free sample. View on Amazon. Also available on kindleunlimited.

VIEW NOW

The Passive Observer – the idea

There are so many cold cases in Australia that I wish could be solved and even though, I would never wish to have Amanda’s ability to witness the murder itself, how wonderful would it be to be able to tell the police who the killer was, what the killer looked like, what car the killer drove and what really happened. To bring a killer to justice and to bring closure to the family of victims would help us all to sleep better.

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Hardcopy or E-reader

Whether you read a physically hardcopy book or use an E-reader comes down to personal preference. I have a friend who prefers to have the physical book in her hands, to turn the pages manually and have that book grace the bookshelf for years to come and re-reading at a later date.

I used to feel the same way but over time, my bookshelves housed thousands of books and space was an issue, travelling on public transport to the city every day meant a book took up room in my handbag and before long, the book was very dog-eared to look at. I tend to be one of those people who lose bookmarks so have to turn the page edge over.

When I discovered Kindle through my iPad, it was such a breath of fresh air. I could have all my books present on the one device, my own little digital library. When I had finished reading one book, it was simple to purchase another without having to attend a book store or wait for a delivery. I could read at night without needing to switch on a bedside lamp. I could even change the font to be larger or smaller if so desired.

Of course, that was before I discovered Audible.

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Knockers

I was reminded recently that if I put up a website, that I should expect some knockers and negative feedback.

I’m aware of that, and I can’t say that any of us are ever comfortable with criticism or trolling, but with books, everyone has different taste and what one person loves, another will detest. Life isn’t all sunshine and roses.

For those who prefer books where a lot of time is spent building the characters, these books may not be up your alley. My books are quite fast moving and the focus is on the story. Also, people who prefer books where the story is in chronological order may find it more difficult to read. For example, in Babies Garden, the chapters alternate between two different time periods, as does Viktoria.

Constructive criticism is great as a writer is always looking for ways to improve the experience for the reader, and you are welcome to send me feedback privately, or publicly if you prefer.

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Writing Style

I don’t profess to have one single writing style though I do tend to adhere to a similar structure with my books.

One piece of feedback I received is that I write like it’s a screenplay. If that means each chapter is a scene on its own, then I would say that is correct. I personally find it challenging to read chapters where the story runs over different scenes and different characters. It is so easy to get lost. I tend to focus on one character per scene, per chapter.

I like to keep each chapter reasonably short and entertaining, and try to captivate the reader at the start of the chapter and at the end. I want the reader to want to turn the page to see what happens next. That was key in the James Patterson Masterclass I completed. I also like to add an unforeseen twist in the story somewhere. It is not as exciting and almost a little boring, to be able to guess what is about to happen in a story. If I can shock or surprise the reader, then I am pleased.

I also hate sad or grisly endings and I think we all have that desire for justice to be served and the good guys to win, but I like to think we can have our happy ending and still leave something in the air, perhaps room for a second book. I do admit that I had a rather bizarre ending in Babies Garden, and I make no apologies for that. I can’t make it too easy to guess the ending.

I’m also aware that so far, all the main characters have been female, good looking and nice people. I’m sure that will change very soon.

 

 

 

 

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The Procrastinator

It is so easy to put off the things we would like to do and think there is plenty of time left to do it another day. I think I spent much of my life procrastinating and assuring myself that I will do it next year when I am not so busy. The trouble with that train of thought is that the next year is often busier than the previous year and so on. One day you realise that you are not getting any younger and you still haven’t done something you really wanted to do.

That is the way I am with writing. It is something I have always wanted to do ever since secondary school. I attended English and English Literature in the year above my own year, and I remember the teacher telling my mother that I should be writing books. Somehow, life ran away with me and it wasn’t until 2015 that I crawled out from the thick fog and realised that time was running out. If I didn’t start writing soon then no doubt I would end up in a dementia ward with no books to my name.

I enrolled in an online Masterclass with James Patterson and this gave me the prompt I needed to make a start. I wrote White Lilies and it sat as a file on my computer for years, unsure what to do with it, or perhaps, not confident enough to do anything with it. One night I had a vivid dream which became Viktoria, and it was the first time that I felt I lived the book as I was writing and cried when it ended. I was determined to publish Viktoria as I felt it was unusual and special, and I still feel that way. I investigated various options and went with self-publishing through Amazon, so Viktoria became the first book I published. White Lilies followed though I admit it is my least favourite.

As of this time in 2024 I have written and published five books and I really hope that there will be many more to come. If only I had started much earlier in life, I could have had dozens by now. Better late than never.

 

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Why Amazon?

Why did I choose to self-publish through Amazon?

I chose to self-publish through Amazon for a number of reasons and I’ll outline the good and bad.

  • Immediacy – With Amazon, as soon as the book is complete, I can upload it online, along with all associated files and information and request publication. This enables me to then move on and concentrate on my next venture.
  • Control – Having control over many aspects of the book and publication. I can upload a separate book cover or use one of their templates. I am able to choose which countries I wish the book to be published in and price, although there are certain printing costs that must be covered. I can choose publication in paperback, hardback or through the Kindle store, or all three, and preview how the book will appear on phone, tablet and as a paperback. I can also update details or content from time to time.
    If I published through the traditional method, chances are that it would take years and I would be rejected by agent after agent. If the book was eventually accepted, the path to market is a long one with many steps.
  • Promotion – One of the downsides to publishing via Amazon is that the promotional aspects are limited. To date, I have never promoted any of my books in any way, other than given a few to friends to read. I have never wanted to participate in book signing events or speaking engagements, so I am happy to keep behind the scenes and enjoy writing.

It’s true there is no editorial review of the books published on Amazon, and there may be many with poor quality writing. I have found this even with well-known books or authors with traditional publishing houses behind them, so the enjoyment of a book is in the hands of the reader. I hope you enjoy mine.

Fear of the Night

Fear of the Night

When Bailey meets Mitchell Murphy, she is convinced he is the man of her dreams, except for one small problem. He has nyctophobia, a fear of the night and locks down his house like a fortress every evening before dark. Bailey accepts this new way of life along with the restrictions associated with only venturing out in the daylight.

Mitch begins counselling with the psychologist, Dr Elsie Craig in an attempt to lead a more normal life and Bailey discovers that there are a number of incidents in Mitch’s childhood where his family believe something dark and malevolent has tried to take Mitch’s life at night.

Dr Elsie Craig and Bailey work toward understanding what is phobia and what is real, and in the process, put their own lives at risk.

Fear of the Night

AVAILABLE VIA AMAZON

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Fear of the Night – the idea

he idea for Fear of the Night came about when I thought about the ingrained fear I have always had of the night or the dark. I like to have a night life on in the bathroom, and hate total darkness. I would never be caught outside in the dark without a light on, and even then, I will be glancing around with heart thumping, wondering if there is anything out there about to devour me.

Where does this fear come from?

I’m not aware of any childhood events that would cause me to be this way and I certainly haven’t grown out of it as an adult, though when my children were young, I pretended to be brave. It was only my arachnophobia that I wasn’t able to hide. Luckily, my fear of spiders didn’t rub off on them too much.

Are we all a little afraid of the night and the dark?

Perhaps it is the old films we sneakily watched when we were children, hiding behind the couch so the parents didn’t realise we were out of bed. I remember being terrified of old Dracula movies in particular, and one of my children was terrified of the movie, The Blob.

If there really was something out there, hiding in the dark and waiting for us to venture by, what would it look like? Would it have a tangible shape or be a mysterious ghost like spectre? What would it want from us?

Perhaps, we are born with this fear as it would be difficult for us to defend ourselves from predators when we can’t really see around any detail around us. Instinct tells us to be afraid, and I am all for, listening to what my instincts tell me.

These are the ideas behind the writing of Fear of the Night.

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A True Witch Book 1 Blog

WANTED – ARC READERS

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ARC Readers FAQs

Fallen Face

Fallen Face

The Passive Observer

The Passive Observer

I would like to acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we operate throughout Australia and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

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